Distilling apparatus.



I PATEETED MAY 26, 41908.

DISTILLING APPARATUS I APPLIOATIOH FILED M1338, 1906.

a. m? BUST,

5 slums-$32M 1 lV/TNEGSES PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

T M. U. VON POST.

DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. B, 1906. v

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2. a

"w/r/vmam wmwm/r I ATTOIf/YEYJ H PATBNTED MAY 26, 1908.

T. M. U. VON POST. DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE. s. 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m wizfmi nwmvrol? No; 889,150. PATENTED MAYEBQ 1908.

T. M; II. VON POST, DISTILLING APPARATUS.

' APPL IGATIOH FILED MAR. I 1906.

PATB II D MAY 26, 190's;-

T. M. U. VON POSTAX DISTILLING APPARATUS.

f/iWz/MZZrZgW/z mm;

g r/V5055; a??? THOM ME-LOHER. UNGEBN VON POST, or 1 STOOKHOLM, SWEDEN.

DISTILL'ING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26 1908.

Original application filed .Tune 29, 1905, Serial inc. 267,658. Divided and this application filed Mar hamos.

' Serial No. 304g945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, THOMMELGHER UN- GERN voN Posr, a subject ofthe'King of Sweden, residing at .Vastmannagatan 47,

Stockholm, Sweden, have invented a new and useful Distilling Apparatus, of which the following is a-speciticationL V This invention. has reference to improvements in apparatus for the distillation of organic matters, such, for instance, as wood, peat, coal, aud the like, and is designed to produce a means whereby the process of dis tillation may be carried out progressively through an endless series of connected re.

torts, so that when a retort becomes ex hausted it may be removed from the series and recl'iarged or replaced by freshly charged retort, without interrupting the continuity of the process.

The present application is limited to the apparatus, while the method or process of distillation which is carried out by the apparatus forming the subject-matter of this application is set forth in my application No; 267,658, filed June 29, 1905-, of which the present application is a division.

The present invention comprises a suitable number of retorts,. each surrounded by a chamber connected with theneXt preceding retort of the series, which. chamber discharges into the retort ,atthe top of the latter so that the products of distillation coming from the. preceding retort are first caused to circulate around the retort under considerz-ition'an'd then to pass through the same from above downward, heating the contents of the said retort and then passing from .the bottom thereof to the chamber surrounding the next succeeding retort, to again pass through the last-named retort and proceed in like order from retort to retort in progressive succession.

Surrounding the chambers in which are lo' cated. the retorts are flues or conduit-s forthe products of combustion coming-from a suitable furnace, but these flues have no com munication with the chambers except that thewalls of the'tlues may be made sufficiently'thin so that the heat of the product of combustion will be conducted through such walls and serve to heat thcproducts of distillation circulating in the chambers surrounding the retorts. I

The several chambers and ret-orts are connect-ed by conduits in such manner that. the

products of distillation may becaused to tlow 'from chamber to retort in succession throughout'the whole series, and certain retorts and chambers. may be cut out ofthe'se ries without interrupting the flow through fromethe furnace may be caused to flow around a certain number of the chambers inclosing the retorts in series and be then diverted from the remainder.

By making the furnace .inovable, so that it may be brought into operative relation to ticular retort and its chamber, the direct action of the hot gases vofconibustion may be utilized for that particular retort, thereby heating it to a high degree and causing the distillation of its volatile products. The hfot gases of combustion are carried by the second, third, and succeeding retorts in order, getting progressively cooler until they finally become too cool for further action upon the contents of the .retorts, when they may be discharged into the open air. During the heating ofthe first retort there is a distilla tion of its volatile contents which, in the form of hot gases, are carried through the second retort, first receivingihat from the surrounding smoke line, and on passing through the second. retort the most easily condensed products of distillation are deposited. in said second retort, while the con- .tents' "of this second retort are raised to a I t .4 x h gh degree of heat, suihcient to cause the distillation of a certain amount of the volaretort. Now, in passing to the third retort the gases of distillation are still further cooled, but are still hot enough to volatilize shine of the contents of the third retort, but also deposit son'leinore of the productsof distillation in this third retort, and then pass on tothe' fourth retort and to the succeeding retorts of the series, This fractional distillation progresses until finally thee-uses are too cool to further heat the contents of the retorts, and may then be carried to a suit able cmideiiser' for the extraction of alt condensable matters. In order that the gases may liow readily through the several retorts, it is advantageous to use a blower for causing the circulation of these gases and to carry them through the condenser, alter which the leangases may be utilized for supplying the the others, While the product-s of combustion any one of the .flues surrounding any par;

tile products of t-hecontents of said second.

Iurnace with combustible material, and, as

usually the case, the surplus gases may be stored for future use. f During the process described, after the circulation is once established, the contents of the first retort considered becomethoroughly coked and the furnace may then be niovedto the next'retort, while the fir'stre- .tort may be cut out of'the series and allowed to cool; then the second retort is cutout and allowed to cool, and so on.- Ultimately the first'retort considered is cooled .sufliciently to permit it to be removed from the chamber containing it, or, where the retort ismade as a permanent fixture, its contents may be removed and the retort be recharged. Now

gressively through a closed series oPretorts;

that-is, without interrupting the continuity of the rocess The means which i have devised or'this purpose are illustrated in the v accompanying drawings, in which,

F1gure 1 is a plan view, partly in section on the line A B of Fig. 2, of aseries of kilns for retorts'. constructed and arranged'in aecordance with the present invention; Fig. 2

is a vertical section on the line E F of Fig.-

1; Fig. 3 is a' lari view, artly in section, on the lines l GH, L, and K-M of Fig. 4, showing a slightlymodified coristruction; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the lines N-O and1P-R of'Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 2, except that the section is taken on a different line than that of Fig. 2,

' i. 6., on the line Ei-F of Fig. 6; Fig. 6 is a section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the structure generally shown in Fig. 1, but taken on the line AB of Fig. 5 Fig. 7 is a front elevation, with parts in longitudinal section, of a number of retorts on a larger scale than shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 8is a similar view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a system of sixteen retorts, which are numbered 1 to 16 consecutively, while in Fig. 3 but fourteen such retorts are sh owr'i, but; of course, the number ofretorts vmay vary considerably. These retorts are placed vertically. and are each 0 en at the to and closed at the bottonr'in t estructure s iown .in Fi s. 1 -2 5 6 and 7 eXce )t for a central passage 71 at the bottom, or these retorts may v e shaped as bestshown in Fig. 4, to which reference will hereinafter beniade; Each.

rovided'a means whereby. the distilretort is surrounded by achamber f formed between the retort and encircling walls p,

which latter are divided by a surrounding passage 0 from the main walls of the struc ture inclosing the entire series. The passage 0 around one encircling wall p is separated from the passage 0 of the next encircling wall. p by a division wall 8, and in this lastnamed wall is a valve 9 arranged-to open or close a passage therethrough. Each assage 0 communicates' with the exterior or the --inclosing wall of the entire styucture through a .door 1" opposite which may be brought a portable furnace 12 for a purpose which will presently appear.

- The top of each retort does not reach quiteto the upper end :01 the chamber f, and this upper end is closed by a cover Z on which may beplaced a layer of sand for heatdnsulating purposes, the said cover being removable tor the removal or insertion of the retort.

Each passage omay communicate through a conduit h with a suitable o'utlet or flue communicating with the external air, and 'this flue may be provided with a damper, as shown.

The passage i at the bottom of each. retort isin communication by a pipe k with another pipe inwhichare arranged a series of valves a, b, c, d and e, the valve 6 serving to close communication between the pipe 16 and a be m common to all the retorts. Alongside the pipe m is another common pipe 71,

which, however, is in communication with the chamber f of each retort through a pipe j in which'is included the valve a. Leading from thepipe k is an extension thereof emptyin into a receptacle 1 which, as will hereinafter appear, is designed to receive the products of dlstillation which have become condensed within the retort. The pi e mis in communication with a suitable b ower t and with a condenser it through a branch pipe 11m, and this condenser is in communication through a continuation of the pipe mm with the pipe a.

Now, let it be assumed that there are six teen retorts in the series and that all these retorts are charged ready for the distilling of their contents, and let it be assumed further that the fire chambere is placed opposite one of the ret'orts, say, the retort 11, Under these conditionsall the dampers gthrough the passages o surrounding the retortslQ, 13, 14:, 15, 16,1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,jand the damper in the passage hcorresponding to? the retort 5, are 0 ened, whilethe other dampers 7t'cor responcing to the same SQI'EGS- of: retorts are kept closed. Likewise, all the valves a, b, c,

and (Z are closed, while the valves 'e are opened. The fanor blower t-is put intooperation and a valve 0: m the pipe n 13 opened,

thisvalve being; arranged for coumunica with the-external air. Thahot prodacts of combustion fioti" throughithe several ssaiso passages and finally escape through the passagehwhich is open to the external air adjacentto the retort 5. The contents of the retort 11 begin-to give ofiv gaseous prod .5 uets'whioh'ex elthe ir from the retort/ In orderto-"expe the ar from the chamber f surrounding this re ort, the corresponding valve '6 isrclosed, wh e the valve 1) is opened. Wherrthe air has be'en ex elled from the retort lland thecorres' onr ing chamber f, the valve-c-isopened ant the valve bis closed, whereupon the" volatile products of distillation enter the chamber f surrounding the retort-'12 and-pass'from the bottom of said chamber upward into the top of the retort 1-2, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

i Passing-downward through the retort the gasesflowoutward through the pipe or passage 7c, driving-the air before them and carry- 0 ing with'the'm the .volatile products generatedin-the retort 12. When the air has been expelled from the retort 12 the valve 1) is 'closedand the valve 0 is opened, whereupon the gases of distillation enter the chamber f 2 surrounding the retort 13 and then pass into said retort 13. In this manner the-process continues throughout the whole system of or retorts until the whole circuit of sixteen retorts, with the chambers f, the pipes k," and-the passages or pipes m and n, together with the fan or blower t and the condenser'u, is full ofzgases generated by the distillation, the circuit being maintained by; the

. said blower or fan. '35 fThe "gases of distillation upon passing through the several chambers f surrounding -,the retorts" 1 1, 12, and so on, absorb heat from the hotroducts" of combustion traveling Y through t epassageso, and these gases give 0 ofl the heat'so absorbed to the contents of the-retorts. This causes the temperature of the gases to'de'crease from retort to retort. The consequencepf this is that those prod-- ucts 'ofiidistillation which have been given offat the highest temperature are the first to condense-ina succeeding retort, and do, in factgcondensein the next retortto the one in ii'vhi'clr they were generated. These condensethproducts pass into the receptacle y {'50 through-"the coiitinuaiions of the pipes 7t.

' By the timethefconrinuitv of the process has been established tl'iroug hout the 'whole' series 'ofreto'rts-the' contents of the retort 11 have become practically coked and all that remains ,to be accomplished in this retort expert-ireeasij volatile substances. 1n the retort 1 the distillation has rogressed butnot tof's'uch anextentas'it' ms in the ir''tort- 11 "In the retort 13 the distillation is (go-at a still earlier "stage, and so on until the tempera-true has dropped; to such a degree that-"no real dis tillation has yet begun in some of t1'1e-r'etorts,say in the re torts 2 to 5. 'That portion of the system embraced between the f5 retorts 1 2 to -16' and'1 to v5 constitutes what led out from the system through the valve 6 torts 7, 8, 9 and 10 and at the same time This is done by closing the corresponding removed therefrom, thus saving time.

'sertion the capacity of production of the kiln may be termed the distillation or heating zone. Now, by moving the furnace opposite the retort 1'2 and allowing it to communicate through an opening closed by the door 2" with the smoke passage or fine a surv rounding said retort, the heating zone has been advanced one retort, while the exit ilue h corresponding to the retort 6 may now be opened, and so from time to time the furnace maybe advanced from retort to retort in serial order in the manner indicated; Of course, the process may he hastened by using several furnaces and by increasing the speed of the gases flowing through the system, and, in addition, the length of the heat 0 ing zone may be increased. But these are all obvious adaptations of the apparatus and need no special description.-

Now, let it be'assumed that the process has been in operation'and that the contents of the retorts. 10, 9', 8 and 7 have been all coked. .The retort 10 is, of course, still hot, while theretorts 9, 8 and 7 are progressively .cooler. These retorts constitute What may be termed the'cooling zone. The gases generated in the distillation or heating zone and flowing through the same and thereby collecting and depositing the products of distillation at retort after retort, in order, are

corresponding to the retort 5, and are carried through the pipe m and condenser u for the purpose of separating such con densable products as may be present and still uncondensed. These gases are then led through the pipe n and again enter the system through the valve a corresponding to retort 7, and

they flow through the chambers f and retorts" in order, .thus absorbing heat from the reco'oling these retorts. These gases thus, reach the distilling zone in a heated condition, and then continue onward through the closed circuit as before described.

Under the conditions thus far assumed the retort 6 is supposed to have been cooled sufliciently and to have been cut 0H from the system and from the circuit of the gases.

damper g and the valves 0 corres onding to the retorts 5 and 6 and also'the va ves a and e corresponding to the retort 6. The retort 6 (and also the retort 7 if cool enough) is now ready to be discharged or emptied. For this purpose the cover Z is removed and the retort is lifted out of theohamber and may then be removed to a point of deposit for the coked material, and,- after its contents have been discharged, the retort may be refilled and replaced in the system, or freshly charged retorts may be providedwhich can be placed in the'system as soon as a retorg3 is y 1 having freshly charged retorts ready for in-' system'may be thus increased, since the retorts may be taken out while still quite hot.

But in order to prevent their contents from taking fire spontaneously it is necessary that a suitable cover beprovided to be placed on the retort as soon as the cover-Z is removed As soon'as the freshly charged retort isplaced in the system it is coupled up into the heating zone-and begins to be heated by the gases of combustion and also the gases of distillation and in the progress of the operation the freshlycharged retort is subjected to greater and greater heat and is ultimately reached by the'furnace and its contents become coked and it is again removed from the system as before described.

Each time a retort is placed in the system the furnacemay be advanced one retort further in the series, thus advancing the heatingzone, there being enough retorts in the heating zone to permit-of this operation. In his manner the process is carried from -on; retort to another in succession, so that at each step the distillation is carried one step farther and an additional part of the products of distillation are condensedyand led away to the corres onding receptacle y.

d For heating the urnace either solid,"liquid or gaseous fuel may be used, and a part or even the whole of the air necessary for combustionmay be obtained already'heated by introducing the same through'the fire opening 1: corres onding to the coolest of the series of retorts t en constituting the cooling zone.

During the process of distillation greater quantities of gas are usually generated than are needed for the closed circuit, and for this reason there-may be a suitable gas rece tacle inserted in the circuit-for the accumu ation' of the lean gases until there is use for the same. Since ,these gases are combustible,

responding opening 7'. I used then one of the valves b or d is conthey may be used for feeding the fire in'the firing zone. For this purpose cold gas ma be taken directly from the tube n through one of the valves by means of a movable pipe or tube section 2, which latter may be led to. the furnace a or'to an adjacent flue o surrounding the retort to be treated by 'thefire, the said pipe being introduced through the cor- If heated gas-is. to be nected by a suitable hose or tube with the fireplace.- In certaincases it may be advantageous to concentrate a greaterheatin one place,v or around a certain retort in" the sys- For this purpose tern, than atother'places. the fireplace 1) may be providedwith a num- --ber of tubes around whichthe fire swee s-,' and thesetubes may be connectedwith t e valves 1) and d, in which'case the intervening valve 0 is closed. By this means the circulating gases of distillation are led out from the circuit of kilns into the fireplace, whence.

they are heated to a high temperature and are again ledrinto the circuit of kilns.

The arrangement shown in Figs 3 and differs from that described in that the retorts tion of the structure shown in Fig. 3 from that already described with reference to Fig. 1., the differences being in details of the parts and not in the functions thereof. In Fig. 4 it. will be seen that the cover l is applied directly to the top of the retort instead of to the top of the chambe1f'1f,- as in.Fig. 2.

are stationary and are rov-ided'with dis- I In order to obtain a ow. of the productsof' v combustion through the system natural draft may, ofcourse, be used. ,But in such instance the gases must. be exhausted at a temperature which would'be too high to secure economy of heat. In such' cases the products of combustion will leave the chimney or esca e flue at atem erature of from 2-50 to 300 egrees'centigra e, While distilla tion begins to take place at a temperature considerably below this and is often finished at a tern er'ature of from 350 to 400, degrees centigra e. It is found therefore more advantageous to use forced draft applied in any manner best suited to the-conditions irese' t. By conducting heat to the materia to cokedor distilled by the current of hot gases as described, the temperature may be readily controlled and the-heat may be uniforml distributed Within each separate retort, an

owing tothe s eed with which the ases of distillation an fthe'productsof'com ustion circulate, the process may be accom lished in a muchshorter time than usual, an the kiln. no

system will, therefore, have a much greater capacity than would be the case ifthe gases ofdistilla'ti'on were simply allowed to flow away by the ressure due to their generation.

It wi be understood, of c'ourse that Wher ever the conduits for the hot gases are subject to losses by radiation, suitable coverings-for plied.

Ic'laim:.-. 1. In an apparatus Of t'he class described,

preventing such heat rad-iationmay be apan endless series of retorts,--mea'ns for applying heat to a predetermined successive number of said retorts, means for cooling another predetermined successive number .of'said retorts alreadysubjected to heat, and means forcutting out another: redetermined' 1mm berof said retorts from t e circuit for removing their contents and recharging them. 2. In an apparatus of the class described;

an endless series 01 retorts, means for cutting in or out of the circuit any one ora number of said retorts without impairing the continuity of the circuit tliirough the retorts not cut out, and means for applying heatat any point in the circuit and conducting the same in succession around a predetermined number of successive retorts.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a number of retorts, means for connecting the same in endless series, means for cutting out any of the retorts without breaking the continuity of the. circuit, means for applying heat at any point in the circuit, and means for conducting the heat around a predetermined successive number of the retorts.

In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retorts comprising a predetermined number of the retorts arranged to form a distilling zone, another predetermined number of the retorts arranged to form a charging zone, and still another predetermined num ber ofthe retorts arranged to form a cooling Zone, and means for shifting said Zones throughout the entire series of retorts to include all theretorts successively.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retorts, chambers surrounding said retorts and communicating with the upper ends of said retorts, and means for connecting the discharge end of each retort with the chamber surrounding the next successive retort.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retorts, and means for conducting the products of distillation from one retort around the exterior of and then into the next succeeding retort.

7. ,In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retort-s, means for conducting the products of distillation from one retort around the exterior of and then'into the next succeeding retort, and means in each retort for withdrawing therefrom the condensed portions of the products of distillation received from the next preceding retort.

8. 1n an apparatus of the class-described, a series of retorts, means for conducting, the products of v distillation from one 'reto'rt around the exterior of and then ii 110 the next succeeding retort, and means l r' applying heat to one of the retorts and for conveying the products of combustion generated by the heating means around a predetermined num- I ber of the retorts in succession.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retorts, means for conducting the products of distillation from one retort around the exterior of and then into the next succeeding retort, means exterior to-the retorts and the conduits for the products of distillation for heatingthe retorts and the products of distillation.

10. In an apparatus of the class described,

a, series of retorts, means for conducting the same and with which the retorts are in communication at their upper ends, means for drawing oil condensed products of distillationfrom the lower ends of the retorts, means for coupling each retort to the chamber surrounding the next succeeding retort,

and means surrounding the. chamber inclosing each retort for conveying heat to the said chambers and through them to the retorts in succession.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of retorts, means for conveying the products of combustion, from a' source-of heat, around the retorts in succession, and means for conveying the products oi distillation successively through the retorts in the order of recession from the source oi heat.-

13. In an apparatusof the class described, a series of retorts, means for applyin heat at one end of the'series, means for conveyin the products of combustion by the severai retorts in the order of recession from the source of heat, and means ior GOHYGYLHQ the products of distillation through the retort-s in the same order as the products of combustion are conveyed past the retorts:

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a continuous series of retorts, means for heating a predetermined number of the retorts to produce distillation of the volatile portion of their contents, means for directing the products of distillation in succession through said retorts, a condenser, means for directing the products of distillation through the condenser, and "means for returning the'lean gases into the system through retorts in which the distillation has been completed, for cooling the said retorts.

15. In an apparatus of the'class described,

a-continuous series of cdnnected retort-s, a

movable burner or combustion chamber adapted to be brought into operative relation to any one of the retorts, and means for connecting a-su'ccessive number of the re torts to the retort connected to the source of heat.-. m I 4 In testimony that l-claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

THOlll MELCHER UNGERN ltli POST.

lYitne'sses 2 AUG; HAGELIN, ALMA Rnrrnnss'on. 

